Terveys Oulussa

Health care in Oulu

The Health page of the Info Bank website provides information on health care services in Finland.

The City of Oulu is divided into eight healthcare districts, each responsible for the health care of local residents. Each district has its own health centre. Further details of health care services in Oulu are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

Health care services for refugees, returnees and asylum seekers

Villa Victor provides social and health care services for newly arrived immigrants. These services continue for three years for newly arrived refugees and six months for Ingrian Finn returnees, after which they are provided by local social services and health centres according to residential address.

Further details of social and health care services for refugees are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

Health care services for asylum seekers are arranged at the reception centre.

Health centres

There are several health centres (terveyskeskus) in Oulu providing healthcare services primarily for local residents. You can make a doctor’s or nurse’s appointment at all health centres by calling the common reservation number. Health centres also receive patients who fall ill suddenly during the week.The contact details of all health centres are listed on the City of Oulu website in Finnish and English.

Making an appointment

You can make an appointment at a health centre, laboratory or maternity clinic by calling the common reservation number. A referral from a local authority medical practitioner, i.e. not a private or occupational healthcare physician, is required when booking an appointment for laboratory tests. If the lines are busy, then you may leave a message on the answering machine. All messages and call-back requests are answered as soon as possible.

The common reservation number is +358 8 558 44355.

Student healthcare

Students are eligible for student healthcare services. Further details are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish and English.

Separate medical, dental and mental health services are provided for university students. Further details are available on the website of the Finnish Student Health Service (YTHS) in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Renewing prescriptions

Prescription for medication may be renewed at health centres. Prescriptions are usually only renewed when you have been previously treated at the same health centre less than two years ago. Renewable prescriptions may be left in a box at the health centre and the renewed prescription may then be collected at the health centre service point. Renewals take no longer than one week. Further details are available at your local health centre.

Vaccinations

All children in Finland are vaccinated against nine infectious diseases free of charge. The diseases that are prevented by vaccination are dangerous and could cause permanent injury or death. People residing in Finland for a short period are advised to arrange vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, and to take the MPR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

Adults living in Oulu can get basic vaccinations and prescriptions for hepatitis vaccinations at their local health centre. Children under school age are vaccinated at child welfare clinics, and schoolchildren are vaccinated by school nurses. Further details are available at your local health centre.

Further information is provided on the City of Oulu website in English and at rokote.fi in Finnish.

Emergency clinics

Local health centres also deal with sudden cases of illness occurring during the week (further details are provided in the section on Health centres). These health centres are closed in the mornings and evenings, and at weekends and public holidays. The joint emergency duty service of the City of Oulu provides healthcare services at these times. It is advisable to call the clinic in advance and describe the problem before visiting an emergency clinic. Calls are answered at all times of day or night, and patients are treated in order of urgency.

The joint emergency duty service is located at Oulu University Hospital
(Oulun yliopistollinen keskussairaala):
Kajaanintie 50, entrance A1
Tel. +358 8 315 2655

Further details of emergency medical treatment and healthcare fees are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish and English.

For instructions on what to do in an emergency, please see the Crises section of the Oulu Info Bank website.

Healthcare services for children and young adults

Child welfare and maternity clinics assist pregnant women, families and children under school age. You may call these clinics for advice or book an appointment by calling +358 8 558 44355.

Healthcare for pupils in comprehensive and upper secondary schools is provided by the School Health Advice Centres. Further details are available on the Oulu Department of Education website in Finnish or  English.

The Youth Clinic provides healthcare services especially for young adults under the age of 20. Besides healthcare services, these clinics also provide advice on contraception and pregnancy, and medical certificates for such purposes as military service and student exchanges. The Youth Clinic employs a doctor, nurse and healthcare assistant. Further details are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

Pregnancy

In cases of pregnancy you can book an appointment at the clinic by calling joint reservation number +358 8 5584 4355.

Dental care

City-run dental clinics are open from Monday to Friday. The dental care appointment line is staffed for longer periods.

The Tuirantori dental clinic at Jatkotie 2 also responds to urgent cases at times outside the opening hours of other clinics. The joint emergency service may be contacted directly in the event of a serious accident.

The contact and further details of dental clinics are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

Medicines

Pharmaceutical products can only be purchased from pharmacies in Finland. There is a list of pharmacies in Oulu together with their contact details in Finnish on the Oulun omahoito service website.

Mental health services

The mental health services of the City of Oulu provide assistance and support in cases of crisis, psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation, and home help services. Further details are available online in Finnish or English.

For help with mental health issues you should contact your local health centre in the first instance and you will be referred for further treatment if necessary. Details of Oulu health centres are available online in Finnish and English.

You may also request advice directly from mental health clinics. Please contact the mental health clinic if you need help and support with mental health issues, or would like to know more about treatment options for a relative. The contact details of mental health clinics are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

In the event of a crisis you may contact the emergency mental health services. No appointment is required, but it is advisable to call the emergency service before arrival. You may bring a relative with you to any evaluation. Further and contact details are available on the City of Oulu website in Finnish or English.

Other health care services

Oulu University Hospital is responsible for special health care services, maternity hospital services, and evening and weekend emergency duties in Oulu. Further details of the hospital are available on the website of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District (in Finnish and English).

Private healthcare services supplement the public healthcare system. Several private medical and dental clinics operate in Oulu. The contact details of dental clinics may be found via the etsi hammaslääkäri service (available only in Finnish). For private medical clinics operating Oulu, visit Mehiläinen at www.mehilainen.fi, ODL at www.odl.fi or Terveystalo at www.terveystalo.fi.